Corn sheller and separator



(N0-Model.)

G. ROBERTS.

- CORN SHELLER AND SEPARATOR. No. 353,591. Paie-med Nov. 30, 1886.

N. PETERS, FhuwLi hmmm D4 C.

NITED STATES` PATENT OFFICE.

CYRUS ROBERTS, OE THREE RIVERS, MICHIGAN.

CORN'SHELLER AND SEPARATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 353,591, dated November 30, 1886.

Application tiled January 29, 1886. Serial No. 190,215. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CYRUs ROBERTS, of Three Rivers, in the county of St. Joseph and State of Michigan, have invented new and useful Improvements in Corn Shellers and Separators; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain ,new and useful improvements in the construction of corn shellers and separators of that class in which the shucks or husks are removed from the ears presented to the machine, the corn shelled A from the cobs, and then separated from the husks and cob, after which the husks are separated from the cobs, which are then delivered from the machine in separate and distinct piles.

The object of this invention is to provide what may be termed a low-down shellingcylinder, that may be fed by the operator from theground withouttheinterventionofan elevator with carriers and other separating devices, by means of which the mass of corn, cobs, and husks, as they are delivered from the husking and shelling-cylinder, are carried rearwardly and upwardly, and in their progress the corn is first separated from the husks and cobs, and then the husks from the cobs, and each of the two latter are sent out at the tail of the machine, entirely separated from each other, and deposited in separate piles, while the corn is delivered at such a height from the ground as to allow it to be received in bags placed under the delivery-spout, or in wagons or cars for transportation in bulk without handling.

The invention consists in the peculiar construction of the various parts, their relation to each other, and combination, as more fully hereinafter described and claimed.

Figure l is a vertical central longitudinal section of my improved machine. Fig. 2 is a top plan of the saine.

In the drawings, A represents a suitable frame supported upon proper wheels, as shown, for ease in transportation from place to place, and in turn supporting the operating parts ot' the machine.

B is a husking and shelling cylinder of any preferred construction adapted to the purpose, and to deliver the material passing from it onto an endless belt or carrier, the construction and operation of which will be hereinafter explained.

l is the case inclosing the cylinder for huslc ing and shelling, and it is provided with a hopper, E, into which the operator shovels the corn to be operated upon.

C is a slide adapted to enlarge or diminish the discharge-throat D of the case, through which the husking and shelling cylinder discharges the corn operated upon. Of course the cylinder must be provided with means for driving it; but as the cylinder, its case, and such means do not form a necessary part of this invention, a further description of their construction is deemed unnecessary here.

F is a floor, extending under the case, which incloses the bushing and shelling cylinder,and thence rearwardly and upwardly, as shown, to the point a; and G is a riddle or sieve located at theend of such floor, suitably or in the ordinary way supported and provided with a bell crank lever, H, for giving such riddle the necessary vibration. This bell-crank levcr is connected by means of the pitrnan b to the crank-disk c on the shaft l.

J J are sprocket-wheels or pulleys, over which the carrier runs at the forward end of the machine; and J J are other similar wheels or pulleys, over which the carrier runs at the rear end of the machine.

K is the main driving-shaft, from which, through the intervention of suitable gearing, the husking and shelling cylinder is driven. Upon the overhanging end of this shaft Kis secured the sprocket-wheel M, over which runs the chain N. M is a similar wheel on the shaft l, near the opposite end of the machine, over which such chain also runs, and upon this shaft I there is secured a pinion, e, which engages with and gives motion to the shaft L, through a wheel, f, secured thereon, and to the sprocketwheels J J and the carrier which runs over the same.

The carrier O, to which a rearward motion is given through the sprocket-Wheels over which it runs and by means of the mechanism already described, is provided with transverse slats h; and such carrier being formed of two chains IOO or belts running upon sprocket-wheels on either side of the machine, such slats form bridges or connections between the two chains, and, in the passage of the carrier to the rear, pass along upon the floor F,*underneath the guide-Wheels O', and along and over the inclined portion of the floor F, carrying the material which has been delivered from the cylinder along said floor F, which prevents the corn from falling through, each succeeding slat taking a portion of the material de livered from the cylinder and carrying or scraping it up onto the riddle,G,through which the cornfalls onto the inclined board or guide G', thence onto ythe inclined plane H',

whence it falls into the spout I', from which Vit is delivered to suitable bags hung on the outside of tlie machine.

P is a fan located underneath the inclined portion of the floor F and inclosed in asuitable case, P', which sends a current of air up lthrough the throat R to the chamber above, Where the current is divided by means of the valve or adjustable"- wing-guidc R', and, pass ing through the corn falling from the riddle, .carries the chaff out the opening Sinto the rear end of the machine. A'portion of -the air-current passes between the inclined board G' and the bottom of the riddle, and through such riddle `with sufficient force to lift the lighter husks as the husks and cblos travel to the rear from thispart of the riddle, and separates such husks from the heavier cobs, and blows them out at the tail S of the machine and deposits them upon the ground in the rear of such machines. 'The heavier cobs are carried bythe carrier to the rake T, which is secured to the frame T', which` is hung from the top of the case A by'suitable supports, k. The head m of such rake T is connected by a suitable rod to a bell-crank lever, U, which is connected by means of a pitman, n, to the eccentric con the shaft Lwhereby a'vibratory motion isV given to such rake, the teeth of which are of asufticient distance apart to allowl the cobs todrop through them onto' the ground or into a spout, U', whence they may be conducted by any of the known devices to any point desired, while the forcing of the wind through the riddle carries the husks themselves directly tothe rear over the ends of such rake.

It will be seen that by the use of the carrier 'I all the material delivered from the shellingcylinder iscarried up to the riddle, where the corn is separated from the husks and cobs and is 'cleaned by the air-blast as it passes to the d be affected by the blast, and drivessuch husks.

out at the tail of the machine, Whilethe cobs fall by their own gravity through the spaces between the rake-teeth, and thereby a complete separation is had of the corn from the cobs and the husks,and the two'latter are separated from each other and deposited outside of the machine in separate piles.

Vhat I claim as my invention is- 1. The combination, with the shellingcylinder and an inclosing-case therefor, of afloor extending beneath said cylinder and thence upwardly and rearwardly, a riddle independent of said ioor and situated upon a plane above said cylinder, and a carrier running under said cylinder, over said Hoor, and over the surface of the riddle, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the riddle and the bell-crank lever H, of the revolving shaft I, cam-diskc on said shaft, and the pitman b, connecting said cam-disk and lever, the rack T, shaft L, bell-crank vlever U,` and pitman` connecting the lever U and cam-disk c, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. The combination, with the case and the frame T', suspended from the top 0of the case, of the rake T, secured to said frame, the bellcrank lever U,connccted with said frame, the shaft l, and connections, substantially as described, between the lever U and shaft I, as

and for the purpose specitied.

4. The combination, with the shellingcyl inder and the floor extending thereunder and thence upwardly and rearwardly, of .the fancase constructed to form a throat, R, spout I',

and incline H', the riddle G,'theinclined guide G', and wind-guide R', all substantially as shown and described, and for the purpose specified,

CYRUS ROBERTS.`

Witnesses: H. S. SPRAGUE, y E. J. SCULLY. 

